Our Outbound Rotary Youth Exchange

Ashley Says "Good-bye"

This year, our club is sponsoring it's first Outbound Rotary Youth Exchange Student in over ten years.  We first met Ashley Clinton back in August of last year when she approached our club to sponsor her for her senior year as a Youth Exchange.

Ashley attends Miami Arts Charter High School.  She has been selected to go to Stockholm, Sweden for her Senior Year.  Needless to say she is VERY excited.  She has two older sisters and a younger brother. 

She originally applied to go to Paris and study music but since her alternate language is Spanish, she really didn't qualify and was chosen for Sweden instead.  Her oldest sister was a Rotary Youth Exchange Student to Sweden herself some 20 years ago.  That was one of the reasons that Ashley was so intent on being part of the program ... the time that her sister spent in Sweden changed her life and she made friends - forever.  Ashley wants the chance to do the same thing.

George Clinton & Sally B. YEO

Ashley is scheduled to leave on Sunday and she is so excited that she's literally vibrating!  She took a few minutes to thank the Club for their support of her Exchange and told us about some of the training classes that she has attended and how well they have prepared her for this coming year abroad.  Her dad, George came to the meeting with her today and although he's going to miss his lovely daughter, he is so pleased that she will have the amazing opportunity that he is considering becoming a member of Rotary himself!

Of course when a club sends out a student for the year, we are expected to assume responsibility for an inbound RYE as well.  Ashley's parents have signed up to be a Host Family for a young lady from France for the year that Ashley's gone.  In essence they're just exchanging daughters!  So Mailys Ooghe, the inbound student arrives on August the 8th. 

Ashley promises to take lots of photos and blog to us over the course of the year.  We look forward to hearing all about her year when she returns next June.  Good luck and Godspeed  Ashley!  You will have the time of your life!!